Five years ago — six months before the Affordable Care Act went into effect — my son suffered from sudden cardiac arrest: His heart stopped beating, and he died twice in the Emergency Room before finally being resuscitated. He survived, but since he was uninsured, he faced over $500,000 in medical bills. He was forced to declare medical bankruptcy.

In the past four years, my son has been able to become well employed and medically insured under the Affordable Care Act. We are fortunate that today he is in good health, but it is impossible to not think about how much emotional and financial stress could have been avoided if the ACA had been implemented sooner. Without the constant attacks and attempts by the GOP to stop its passage, David’s condition would have been covered. He could have avoided medical bankruptcy and lived a fuller life than he was able to.

To Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who has repeatedly tried to take our health care away, I want to say that the ACA didn’t just save my son’s life; it saved his future. Stop trying to destroy the safety net that protects your constituents from financial ruin and helps so many stay healthy!